HONORING CHIP MILLER WITH “THE LAST CORVETTE DALE RACED” LIMITED EDITION ART PRINT

A TRUE STORY BY: Hugo Prado* Created THANKSGIVING DAY November 28, 2019

(The artist* that began working on the painting 2 weeks before the accident that took Dale from us all.)

This story is in honor of Chip Miller, Jeff Green and all the other car lovers who through their tireless efforts created a venue for the rest of us to enjoy our “Car Memories”…like when you sit in a car from the past and you see and smell it’s leather interior and the memories begin to flood your senses and bring you back in time…like the car in which you traveled with your family as a kid, The car in which you sat next to the girl you liked when you had not even had your first kiss, the car in which you learned to drive, the first car you took to the drive in, the car you drove to your Prom, the car in which you got your first kiss…That’s what I am talking about!. The heart beats faster and those sweet memories make you smile once again and even relieve moments long ago forgotten until you stepped into this time machine of youthful innocence, earthly delights and precious fantasies that made you who you are today. Stepping out of that car is a sweet sorrow like leaving an old friend you met after a long absence. Feelings that make life worth living. This is why I am so happy to be an artist, because I have so much Joy when I paint, that is humbling. How many people do you know who can’t wait to finish breakfast so they can get to work?…If I didn’t have to eat and stay alive I would not charge for my paintings because if I can become like the “Car Memories” and bring a smile and enjoyment to people by something I created with love…Money is a bonus!. I don’t paint for the money, popularity of the car, etc. I paint a specific car because I like it is like a friendship between me and the chosen car that becomes a camaraderie like a new friend that after many years becomes part of your life, like a brother, a sister, a son or a daughter.

This is how the painting of the C5R begun, because I loved the shape, the look, the colors, etc. By some of my connections at GM I spoke with Gary Pratt of PRATT & MILLER Engineering who was in the process of building the C5R for GM and requested the opportunity to photograph the C5R for an upcoming painting I had in mind and he kindly agreed and basically told me he would inform me when they were almost done with the build and before both C5R’s (The # 2 and the # 3) where trucked to their first race in the 24 Hours of Rolex in Daytona. As you can imagine, I was in HOG HEAVEN!!.

I then contacted another of “my great connections” Jeff Green owner of Green Chevrolet in Peoria, Illinois who not just agreed to buy the original painting but offered to fly us both to Michigan (In his private Turbo-Prop which he piloted!!) where PRATT & MILLER was building both cars!!! HOG HEAVEN ON STEROIDS NOW!!!! (Because, my father Carlos offered to pay for my commercial pilot license if I stayed in Peru instead of coming to the US to go to College) in other words, if I had not become an artist (occupies your whole life if you are serious) I would have been an airline pilot in a second like my High School friend Hector Velez!~!.

Sounds like I am a lucky guy right?….Just wait till the end of the story before you decide. So, Gary Pratt gave us the thumbs up to fly to Michigan the following Wednesday since they were almost done with both C5R’s (the # 2 and the # 3) So, I was ready with all the photography equipment, video cameras, etc. for the shoot. When we arrived and met everyone we tried to keep out of the way while they were putting finishing touches on both cars. I started shooting video of both cars (for extra reference in case I missed anything in the shoot or had a question about how that specific part of the car looked on “the other side” and how the wrap of that detail went around the car…just to satisfy my OCD which I am proud of! ha, ha) and at the same time inadvertently caught History in the Making by the grace of God. At this point you can click below and see what I am talking about on this excerpt of the “Building Dale’s Car” video in which I do a crappy job at doing a voice over so don’t laugh!…I am not a seasoned HAM like Lance Miller in front of the camera!! ha, ha.

Now that you watched the short video you know I wasn’t lying!!. At that point Jeff and I had to come back on Thursday because they were still working on the cars so we stayed at a nearby hotel. When we came back next day I continued shooting video and we continued schmoozing with the artist’s that were creating those 2 beauties before our eyes. I got to see so much it did my soul good. One of the things that stuck in my mind is that when they were balancing the cars they were putting “weight dummies” in them and I remember asking one of the guys who’s that dummy supposed to be and he told me Dale Earnhardt Sr. and I found out he weighed EXACTLY 200lbs. Years later, my girlfriend corrected me when I was telling the tale and said “200lbs. with all the gear on him I am sure”, I love smart women…I had never thought about it but, I am sure driving naked was not part of the regulations!. It was at that moment while both cars were about ready which I needed to make a quick decision as to “which C5R” to photograph for my painting since I only had a small window of opportunity before it began snowing and before they loaded both cars in the truck and drove them straight from Michigan to Daytona for the race 2 days later that weekend! So I chose, the # 3 since it had both Dale’s as 2 of the 4 drivers and I flew back to Chicago and I began the processing of the film in order to get the “money shot” of the car and begin the painting…

A couple of weeks passed and I had finally gotten the shot I wanted ready and begun “working on the pencil” before the painting when the phone rang my agent at the time, said to me “I don’t know if you are the luckiest guy in the world or the most cursed” Why? I answered…and she said “Dale Earnhardt just died”…Like everyone else…I was speechless. The Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona was on February 3-4 2001 Dale died on February 18, 2001 (16 days after) that is when I decided to dedicate the painting to his memory by calling it “The Last Corvette Dale Raced”.

All of the sudden we were all inundated by TV interviews, Magazine articles, Posters, Coffee Mugs, etc. commemorating Dale Earnhardt’s Illustrious career. This all took the winds off my sails as, besides having lost such a great icon, I now looked like I was taking advantage of his untimely death to make a buck!…Not a great feeling at all. But, that is what being an artist is all about…Never mind what anyone thinks or says about you in your presence or behind your back…Keep on working. So I did for another 12 months ignoring the “need or obligation to be the first one in my block to come up with something about Dale, after his death, in order to look good or cash in!”.

And so the time passed by and I stuck to my pride (in order to finish this painting that meant so much to me at my own pace). Some friends even hurt me to my soul when they claimed that because my painting took so long….”It was now, Old News”.…I loved them then, I love them now and I will love them forever. Before you throw a tomato to my face…Don’t forget…he that is without sin…

So, now…years go by and out of the blue I get a phone call from guess who?…Chip Miller!! Mr. Miller proceeds to tell me that he wants to purchase one of my art prints?!…I had the pleasure of meeting him at Bloomington Gold in many occasions. I knew that he was a respected “Corvette Personality”…Saw him everywhere (where you had to be somebody to get in) like the Special Collection (I fooled people with my crappy art to be able to attend!!! Ha, ha..).

Pictured: Chip Miller when he first received his new C5R Corvette.

Here comes the bragging….ready?….I had the honor to meet Zora and Elfie Duntov, Larry Shinoda, Dolly Cole, etc…Really super cool!…These people were all down to earth like Chip Miller (I thought, he looks like a professional Golfer or better yet a Surfer). But, I said to my self “Surfer? Naw” (Since I am from Lima Peru and have a BIG EGO ABOUT SURFING Because The First Surfing World Champion is a dude from “My Hood” Felipe Pomar “The Pride of Peru”). But, Mr. Miller still looked like a “Professional Surfer” in the back of my mind. Unreal enough, as I didn’t think you couldn’t surf in Carlisle, PA (where I thought he lived because of his Corvettes @ Carlisle Show). I was sure it was my imagination…until I met his son Lance, who confirmed that Mr. Miller was indeed a surfer and so was he!…and I thought, “How strange, how did I know??””. True story.

While processing the order of the “Last Corvette Dale Raced” Giclee, Mr. Miller proceeded to tell me that he had just bought at an auction the ACTUAL CORVETTE THAT DALE EARNHARDT RACED PORTRAIT IN THE PAINTING!…Lance showed me recently a shot of the “Installation” of the painting at his parents house. It took my breath away!

Pictured: Inside Chip and Judy Miller’s home.

So, then I went about my business…What it seemed like 3 weeks later I found out that Chip Miller had JUST PASSED AWAY! It was very hard wrenching for me (Because he was also part of my and of lot’s of other people’s lives. He’s family to a lot of people who are NOT RELATED. Because he treated everyone like family).

Let’s get on with my Bizarre Life story… So, one of the many things I have been saving for the right time was to inform Jeff Green about the “next level” of this “Last Corvette Dale Raced” business by introducing him to Lance Miller and telling him about Chip Miller the car, etc. Jeff Green (who you saw on the video above was the man who commissioned the Dale Earnhardt painting and even flew us in his private plane to shoot the car in Michigan remember?). So, what better person to speak to about this great new opportunity about the painting and the CMAF and other race projects right?…Jeff was not just a pilot but he even raced at LeMans!!!.

So because of the above, I decided to call Jeff Green (which is something I would have never done until I was ready with the equipment, art, etc. So, “The blood was up” and I called Jeff on Saturday, November 16th to tell him the great news and to make him part of this opportunity as we both made this painting possible and I wanted to share this superb turn of events with him.

When I asked for him, the operator hesitated and sounded shocked and told me “Mr. Green was killed at a car race, exactly 1 ½ years ago today”. Another bizarre coincidence.

Please read this newspaper article below:

By: David Malsher Jun 17, 2018, 1:55 PM / Pictured: Jeff Green

The 61-year-old Green, who had raced in Pro Mazda as recently as last year, started the Vintage Automobile Racing Association of Canada Vintage Grand Prix from pole in his Lola T300. For reasons not yet ascertained, the car left the track at Turn 8 of CTMP’s 10-turn road course and made hard contact with a wall. Green, a car dealer in his native Peoria, Ill. was attended to by medical crews and transported by ambulance to Lakeridge Health Bowmanville hospital but was pronounced dead. He is survived by wife Pam, who had also attended the event, along with a son and daughter. “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Jeffrey Green,” said Myles Brandt, president and general manager of Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (née Mosport). “We offer our deepest condolences and prayers to his family, friends and fellow competitors.” As well as being a highly competent amateur racer, Green was also responsible for Victor Franzoni’s blossoming career not stalling out through lack of finance. The young Brazilian, who won last year’s Pro Mazda title with Juncos Racing, would not even have made the grid for the full season without Green’s financial aid. Joining Franzoni at Juncos, Green learned much from his mentor/protégé over the course of the season, earning a fifth place at Gateway – his first ever oval race. Franzoni rewarded Green’s faith by clinching the title, and earning the Mazda scholarship that took him up to Indy Lights this year. A heartbroken Franzoni posted on Instagram: “Devastated!! Yesterday this awesome guy Jeff Green had a racing accident and left us. Jeff was one of the most amazing person I met, always extremely happy and helping everyone!! I learned a lot with you Jeff!! You were an inspiration and You’ll be always remembered. Prayers for his family and friends. R.I.P Jeff Green #60”

All of these situations show how we are all connected (synchronicity) spiritus spundi. It’s proof to me that there is an afterlife and that death is only the next level of existing. I am grateful that I had the opportunity of meeting all these great people while they were here and that doing good is the only way to move up to the next level.

As you can see “The Last Corvette Dale Raced” Giclee art print has great significance to me and I am glad that Lance Miller has given me the opportunity to offer it to you via his CMAF website and to be able to contribute to find the cure for Amyloidosis and to salute and thank both Chip Miller and Jeff Green for their enthusiastic support to my art.

“THE LAST CORVETTE DALE RACED” LIMITED – EDITION GICLEE ART PRINT BY HUGO PRADO

Letter from Bob Lutz